The one tool never to cheap out on?

[Teenager with old tools]

Jackstands. Jackstands. Jackstands.


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[larry_g]

When I made a living twisting wrenches, the wrench was a direct connection to the paycheck. So never cheap out on a tool that connects you to your paycheck.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Lassen Forge]

Damned inconvenient when they change their mind, damned inconvenient when they don't. I suppose it's best if they don't even entertain the thought.

I'd rather they didn't, but it was always a busy time of year for me... used to piss me off... but then again, its like an addict and dope - if they want to jump, and are determined to do it, nothing you can say or do will stop them, it has to come from them. Or not.

But yeah... of all the stupid things to do... and ways to do it. ALL the survivors I've talked to (about 1/2 to 1%) said as SOON as they did it, they regretted it as the stupidest thing they ever did.

That says a lot.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Jackstands. Jackstands. Jackstands.

Anything that, if it fails, could end your life.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Hand plane when building a solid body electrical guitar. An old stanley well maintained beats them all. And the old blade may dull a bit quicker than modern , but if honed often cuts much better.

Watch this video !

Like many HF tools, final "finishing" of the tool and proper sharpening/lapping of the blade makes a very serviceable tool.

 

[carbon]

- NBC suit
- Ebola suit
- Nuclear transport truck
- toothpicks

Never, ever cheap out on the 'picks.

 

[d.mcfarland]

This is the most ironic thread the OP has ever started. We are at an all time low.

 

[-Brent-]

"Most expensive tool you will ever buy is a cheap one" - my dad

Words of wisdom, right there!

 

[anndel]

Jack stands and floor jack(s).

 

[Bruce Amacker]

Flare nut wrenches. I have SO and HF duplicates of about everything and cheap line wrenches always spread under torque.

 

[stearn786]

Ratchets. The last thing I want to happen when I'm leaning all my weight on something is to have it slip, not to mention being able to use it in a tight space.

 

[avmaine]

Snap ring pliers.

 

[goingtoarizona]

Any tool. I'd rather have fewer tools than a tool box full of ****. Since most people drive Japanese cars, the bolts are usually exceedingly tight, cheap socket and wrenches turn a easy, or difficult job into a nightmare with stripped bolt head. Tool failures, or poor tool performance is dangerous, and will make you have to do a job twice, one of my pet peeves. Just get over the cheap tools will ya?

 

[BIG BACCHUS]

Jackstands. Jackstands. Jackstands.


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Jackstands.

 

[Fixed]

Anything that spins 11000 rpm a couple feet from your face and/or gonads.

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[bwringer]

Hand files. This really applies to any edge tool. Once you have used a good one, there really is no going back. Plus the pile of aluminum curls that a sharp vixen file makes is somehow deeply satisfying.

Good one. And good files actually aren't all that expensive, especially if you value time and precision.

My Dad and my Grandpa could never bring themselves to throw out a worn-out out file so I grew up used to the idea that filing took ages to accomplish anything. I was a grown, middle-aged man before I bought a new high-quality file and a handle, and the difference was astonishing.

Excluding the obvious life-or-death items (PPE, etc.), my vote goes to flare nut wrenches. Your average hobbyist car-guy can easily get away with using budget sockets, ratchets, etc, but a cheap set of flare nut wrenches can really ruin your day and make you resort to Vise-grips when you really shouldn't.

Flare wrenches, yes. The cheap stuff is soooooo awful. But it's one of those tools you don't use all that often, so there's a real urge to cheap out.

Tap and die set

Agreed. Cheap taps especially will destroy your will to live. Although you don't always need a whole set. You can sort of accumulate your way into the sizes you need one at a time. And a thread file is more useful in some situations than a die.